Kuthiramalika Palace Museum

Kuthiramalika Palace Museum

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Thiruvananthapuram has a lot to offer its tourists by way of heritage, history, art and tradition. The Kuthiramalika Palace Museum in Thiruvananthapuram is one of the most renowned and most popular museums in the city and was established by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Balarama Varma, the former King of Travancore, in 1800 AD. Noted for his love for poetry, music and art, he established the Kuthiramalika Palace Museum in Thiruvananthapuram in order to encourage and promote the traditional forms of Indian art. The Palace Museum is an apt testimony of typical Travancore-style architecture. The interiors of the Kuthiramalika Palace Museum are adorned with royal paintings and the exquisite collections of the Travancore's imperial family are also preserved there. The intricate woodcarvings only go to enhance the grandeur of the Palace. The name Kuthiramalika means 'palace of horses' and is derived from the frieze of 122 wooden horses on the exterior walls. The roof beams are designed in the shape of horse faces and its unique architectural design truly reflects the meaning of Kuthiramalika, the horse bungalow. Besides the paintings, the exhibits also include jewellery items, metal idols and weapons used by the members of the royal family. Noted for the Kerala-style architecture, the palace took 5,000 workers over 4 years to complete. The interior of Kuthiramalika features European mirrors and chandeliers, weapons, crystal, Kathakali idols, elephant howdahs and other memorabilia. The classical architecture and the splendid wooden sculptures make the Kuthiramalika Palace Museum a true heritage site. The central location of the Palace Museum makes it easily accessible from all parts of Thiruvananthapuram city. The visiting hours at the Palace Museum are 8.30 AM to 12.30 PM and from 3.30 PM to 5.30 PM.